Dyer A Doubt For Boro Match
The curse of the hamstring, or should that be hamstrung? has hit the
Toon once again according to this little snippet tucked away in the
Chronicle:
Meanwhile, to add to United's problems, both Kieron Dyer and Titus
Bramble are currently being troubled by a bit of tightness in their
hamstrings.
So the roll-call of the walking and limping wounded now reads:
Shay Given: Back in training but still weak
Tony Caig: Still suffering from Conjunctivitis
Andy O'Brien: As above
Lee Bowyer: As above
Laurent Robert: As Above
Darren Ambrose: Knee
Titus Bramble: Hamstring
Kieron Dyer: Hamstring
Shola Ameobi: Back
Steven Taylor: Foot
Jonathan Woodgate: Thigh
Nicky Butt: 70% match fit
Patrick Kluivert: 50% match fit
13 players with doubts concerning their fitness...when will it end!
This club is cursed, cursed I tell thee...
NUFC Ask Premier League To Call-Off Boro Game
According to today's Chronicle NUFC have asked the Premier League
to call-off Saturday's Premiership opener at the Riverside but it
appears the Premier League are having none of it...obviously there
is no snow to warrant a postponment.
Quotes attributed to a NUFC spokesman:
"We have had lengthy discussions with the Premier League and explained
our position but at this moment the game is still on.
"They have told us they are not prepared to call the game off and
that we just have to get on with it.
"This is not about players being injured but about the risk to the
players from both teams and also the staff at both clubs."
"If the game has to be postponed then people in Middlesbrough
will call us whingers.
"And if we go down there and play the match and conjunctivitis
is passed on to the Middlesbrough players then we will get the blame."
Toon Injury Woes Deepen
According to this morning's Journal Titus Bramble
will undergo a scan on a hamstring injury which makes him a big doubt
for Saturday's Premiership opener at the Riverside (*assuming
the game goes ahead). This latest injury news can't have come at a
worse time with Woodgate still nowhere near to full fitness, Steven
Taylor out injured, and Andy O'Brien recovering from the Conjunctivitis
virus that has swept through the camp. It could well be that both
Aaron Hughes and Robbie Elliott (two full-backs) partner up in the
heart of the defence for the Middlesbrough match - unless Bobby gets
someone in on loan?
Meanwhile Club physio Derek Wright has also fallen
victim to the Conjunctivitis outbreak but there is some good news
- Shay Given is back in training although whether
he will feature at the weekend remains to be seen.
*A Premier League spokesman had this to say:
"On the basis of the present information, the fixture will go ahead.
Should any new information come to light we will review that."
Shay's Happy With His New Carr
Shay speaking about his new team-mate and fellow Republic of Ireland
man Stephen Carr:
"Newcastle United have signed a very good player in Stephen Carr.
"He is a top player and he will add a lot to our first-team squad
at St James' Park and I think it will give him a new lease of life
joining us.
"Obviously, not only have I played against him when he was with
Spurs but I have played behind him for the Republic of Ireland.
"I have seen from close quarters what a good player he is and
I have got to say he is one of the fittest lads I have ever come across.
"He will get up and down the wing all day for us and he gets
forward so well."
"While he doesn't go mad shouting at other players, he is very experienced
and he will help the other players we have at the back."
Just One More Big Signing Left To Make
BERNARD'S NEW CONTRACT!
What would cap off a great close Season (transfer wise) would be the
news that Olivier Bernard has signed a new contact extension. The
Frenchman only has 1 year left on his current deal and NUFC have apparently
offered him a new deal despite his claims to the contrary. However
what seems to be the actual hold-up is a lack of communication from
all involved. Mans greatest tool doesn't hang from club house walls
as we could all testify to (hint to NUFC to return e-mails).
With the conclusion of that long drawn our chase to fill the right-back
vacancy in mind, it would be wise to tie up our tough tackling left-back
ASAP.
Get it done please!
P.S We'll eventually need cover for him, maybe a new centre-half too
and a replacement for Shearer...oh wait we got Paddy. Ok then a replacement
for Bobby...oh wait, we have Big Al. Oh never mind, just get Olly
to sign that new contract, that's more important.
That's the word I would use to sum up the signing of Stephen Carr
from Spurs. We needed a right-back and we eventually chose the Republic
of Ireland man to conclude what can only be described as a lengthy
search where the rumoured first-choice names of Giourkas Seitaridis,
Hatem Trabelsi, Miguel Monteiro, as well as names such as Danny Mills
and Mario Melchiot had all been pursued for the right-back berth that
Aaron Hughes, prior to Carr's signing, was the sole occupier of. Of
course the majority of us would have preferred the likes of Trabelsi,
Miguel or Seitaridis over Carr, but for reasons we can only speculate
on we chose Carr instead. [More
+]
Well Done Freddy Shepherd
Not the most enamoured man on Tyneside nor without his faults but
you have to hand it to him...he's come up trumps this Summer in bringing
4 much needed players to United. 4 players that add a great deal of
depth and quality to a squad that fell short in both departments last
time out.
Arguably the coup of the Summer in signing Nicky Butt for a mere £2m,
a player who Man Utd had accepted Birmingham's £5.3m bid for
back in January. Bringing in a player regarded as the Country's most
talented youngster behind Rooney in James Milner. Bringing in a striker
who can only be described as world-class when on form in Patrick Kluivert
on a free transfer and now Stephen Carr, an experienced established
Premiership right-back.
Love him or hate him he's done a canny job. Well done FS. |
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